Treat dispensing pet toy

Abstract

A treat dispensing pet toy comprises a hub assembly having first and second hubs and an axle interconnecting the hubs. A barrel is mounted over the axle and is disposed between the hubs. The barrel has an interior chamber to hold treats. A treat dispensing opening is formed on the barrel and communicates with the interior chamber. When the pet toy is contacted with sufficient force, the hub assembly and barrel independently rotate thereby establishing a rotational differential. Treats fall through or are otherwise ejected from the opening in the barrel. According to a method of dispensing treats, the barrel and hub assembly independently rotate at different rotational speeds to affect the rate of dispensing treats.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A treat dispensing pet toy comprising:
 a hub assembly having first and second hubs and an axle interconnecting the hubs; 
 a barrel having an interior chamber, said axle extending through said interior chamber; 
 said first hub located at a first end of said barrel and said second hub located at a second opposite end of said barrel; 
 a treat dispensing opening formed on said barrel and communicating with said interior chamber; and 
 wherein when the pet toy is contacted with sufficient force, the hub assembly and barrel independently rotate thereby establishing a rotational differential. 
 
     
     
       2. The treat dispensing pet toy, as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein:
 said barrel has an end wall and a sleeve secured to said end wall, said axle extending through said sleeve within said interior chamber. 
 
     
     
       3. The treat dispensing pet toy, as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein:
 said barrel has a removable barrel cover mounted over an access aperture formed on said barrel, and wherein said treat dispensing opening is formed on said barrel cover. 
 
     
     
       4. The treat dispensing pet toy, as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein:
 said first and second hubs are circular shaped and extend substantially perpendicular to a surface to which the pet toy rests upon during use. 
 
     
     
       5. The treat dispensing pet toy, as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein
 said barrel is substantially cylindrical in shape having a longitudinal axis that extends substantially parallel to a surface to which the pet toy rests upon during use, said barrel having first and second ends closed by said first and second hubs, respectively. 
 
     
     
       6. The treat dispensing pet toy, as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein:
 said barrel is substantially cylindrical in shape having a longitudinal axis that extends substantially parallel to a surface to which the pet toy rests upon during use. 
 
     
     
       7. The treat dispensing pet toy, as claimed in  claim 1 , further including:
 a plurality of pet treats loaded in said chamber of said barrel. 
 
     
     
       8. The treat dispensing pet toy, as claimed in  claim 1 , further including:
 first and second end caps secured to said first and second hubs, respectively. 
 
     
     
       9. A method of dispensing treats from a pet toy comprising:
 providing a pet toy having a hub assembly with first and second hubs and an axle interconnecting the hubs, a barrel having an interior chamber, said axle extending through said interior chamber, and a treat dispensing opening formed on said barrel and communicating with said interior chamber; 
 contacting the pet toy causing the pet toy to roll wherein the hub assembly rotates at first rotational speed and the barrel assembly independently rotates at a second rotational speed; and 
 dispensing treats as the pet toy rotates by treats loaded in a chamber of the pet toy falling through the opening in the barrel. 
 
     
     
       10. The method, as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein:
 the first rotational speed is different than the second rotational speed. 
 
     
     
       11. The method, as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein:
 the barrel is contacted during the contacting step to impart a spin force on the barrel to increase its rotational speed. 
 
     
     
       12. A treat dispensing pet toy comprising:
 first and second hubs interconnected by an axle; 
 a barrel having an interior chamber, said barrel disposed between said first and second hubs; 
 said barrel and said first and second hubs being symmetrical about a longitudinal axis; 
 a treat dispensing opening formed on said barrel and communicating with said interior chamber; and 
 wherein said first and second hubs and said barrel independently rotate about said longitudinal axis to dispense treats loaded in said interior chamber. 
 
     
     
       13. The treat dispensing pet toy, as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein:
 said barrel further includes an end wall and a sleeve secured to said end wall, said axle extending through said sleeve within said interior chamber. 
 
     
     
       14. The treat dispensing pet toy, as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein:
 said barrel is substantially cylindrical in shape and aligned along said longitudinal axis. 
 
     
     
       15. The treat dispensing pet toy, as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein:
 said barrel extends substantially parallel to a surface to which the pet toy rests upon during use. 
 
     
     
       16. The treat dispensing pet toy, as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein:
 said barrel has first and second ends closed by said first and second hubs, respectively. 
 
     
     
       17. A treat dispensing pet toy comprising:
 first and second end pieces interconnected by an axle; 
 a treat dispensing body having an interior chamber, said body disposed between said first and second end pieces; 
 said treat dispensing body and said first and second end pieces being aligned along a longitudinal axis; 
 a treat dispensing opening formed on said body and communicating with said interior chamber; and 
 wherein said first and second end pieces and said treat dispensing body independently rotate to dispense treats loaded in said interior chamber.